Cryptographic type-writing machine.



No. 644,165. Patented Feb. 27, I900. I

- w. A. FREBET, m.

CRYPTOGRAPHIG TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Application. filed Nov. 21, 1898. Renewed Aug. 4, 1899.) (No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet I.

witnesses wfim Y THE NORRIS PETERS c0., momumoq WASK No. $44,165.Patented Feb. 27, I900. w. A. FRERET, .IR.

CRYPTOGBAPHIG TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Applies-I501 filed Nov. 21, 1898. Renewed Aug. 4, 1899.) (No Model.) 2SheetsSheet 2.

FIG. 5 I FIE-.LU.

llllllllllll,

Q/VIIZI/LGQIOM 47 Z. I)

4 MM I WWW m: mmms PETERS 0a.. PHOT0-LITN.. wgsnmurou, n. c.

NITED STATES ATENT Enron.

CRYPTOGRAPHIC- TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,165, dated February27, 1906.

Application filed November 21, 1898. Renewed August 4, 1899. Serial No.726,208. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. FERRET,-

J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in theparish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Cryptographic Type-Writing Machines and Systemsof Writing; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in cryptographic systems and meansfor adapting such a system for practice with type-writing machines, theobject being to produce an attachment adapted to be fitted to atypewriting machine to facilitate its use in writing and transposingcipher messages,

My invention consists in a type wheel or cylinder constructed so as tobe adjusted with respect to its carrying-stem and locked irrespective ofthe keyboard, and also includes a key or guide by which the properadjustment of the type-cylinder is determined in setting the machine fortransposing cipher.

My invention will be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein the same parts are indicated by the same lottersthroughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a type-cylinder constructedaccording to my invention. Fig. 2 represents an axial view of thecylinder shown in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow in saidfigure. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is asection taken on the line 4 4 in Figs. 2 and 5. Fig. 5 represents anaxial view of the type-cylinder as seen from the right in Fig. 4, theadjusting-disk being removed. Fig. 6 represents an interior side View ofthe adjusting disk. Fig. 7 represents a plan view of the adjustable keyor guide by means of which the proper adjustment for the typecylinder isdetermined in setting the same for transposing cipher into intelligiblewords. Fig. 8 represents a section taken on the line 8 8 in Fig. 7,illustrating the adj ustability of the disks. Fig. 9 represents an endelevation of a modified form of cylinder and disk. Fig. 10 represents asection taken on the line 10 10 in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 represents a planview of the disk removed from the cylinder, and Fig. 12 represents aside elevation of the said disk.

A represents the type-cylinder, which for the sake of rendering myinvention more easily understood is shown as being of the constructionused with the Blickensderfer type writing machine, and is shown anddescribed in United States Patent No. 583,840, dated June 1, 1897; but Iwish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to any particularmake of type-cylinder segment or bar or type-writing machine, as myinvention is equally. applicable to any type-writing machine whichemploys a wheel-cylinder segment or bar carrying a full set of type.

One end of the type-cylinder A may be provided with a permanent head A",as shown in Figs. 2 to 5, or an equivalent spider rigidly fixed therein,to which is formed or rigidly connected a hollow central tube or hub A,

fitting upon the carrying-spindle B, fitted to and forming part of thepermanent operating mechanism of the machine. The said central hub A isfitted with a bearing-sleeve a, which projects outwardly beyond the headA and has tangential grooves formed therein adjacent to the outer faceof the said head, as at a and a for the reception of a bifurcated key 0.The groove a at one side of this sleeve a is cut entirely through, asshown in Fig. 4, and the spindle B has a surrounding groove 17 of auniform depth cut therein near its outer end, which groove 6 in thespindle coincides with the grooves in the said sleeve when the cylinderis in position upon said spindle, as shown in Fig. 3, and one leg of thecylinder engages in this groove b in the spindle, as indicated by thedotted line in Fig. 2, thus locking the cylinder upon the spindle B.

The end of the type-cylinder opposite the head A is provided withnopermanent head or equivalent, but is fitted with a separate disk orhead D. (Seen in Fig. 6.) This separable disk or head D fits accuratelyupon the open end of the cylinder and has an annular flange D thereon,which fits closely within the end of the cylinder, as seen in Figs. 3and 4. The said disk D has a central circular opening d which fits overthe end of the sleeve a, which latter extends a short distance beyondthe corresponding end of the hub A, but has its extreme end flush withthe outer surface of the disk D when the latteris in position, as shownin Figs. 3 and 4:. The diskD has also an opening'd near the annularflange D for the passage of the stem B, which forms a part of theoperating mechanism of the machine and by which, through suitablemechanism, (not herein shown,) the necessary partial rotary motion ineither direction is given to the type-cylinder during the operation ofthe machine. \Vhen the ma chine is at rest, the disk D has a fixedrelation with respect to the mechanism for operating the type-cylinder;but the cylinder itself may be adjusted about its axis with respect tothe said disk at the will of the operator. The diskD is fitted with acatch (1 normally held extended by a spring d connected thereto, andoperated by means of a stem or lug d extending beyond the outer face ofthe said disk through a slot (1 therein. The edge of the open end of thecylinder A is provided with a series of notches a at proper distancesapart and at intervals corresponding to the distance between the type onthe periphery of the cylinder, and the catch d of the disk D is adaptedto be made to engage in any one of these notches a according to the adjustment desired.

Although not essential to the successful operation of my invention, yetfor convenience in holding the parts together when the cylinder isdetached from the machine I provide a spring-arm E, fixed to the innerface of the disk D and extending into the cylinder along the hub A,which spring-arm is provided with a catch-lug e, which engages in anannular groove a, cut in the hub A, and allows of the rotation of thecylinder with respect to the disk, as seen in Fig. 4. In order toprovide for the ready disengagement of the said catchlug when it isdesired to separate the disk from the cylinder, the spring-arm E has aninclined extension E, which when it is desired to disengage the saidcatch-lug may be pressed upon by any suitable instrument, such as thepoint of a pencil, inserted through one of the openings in the permanenthead A and by causing the spring-arm E to bend away from the said hubwill cause the disengagement of the catch-lu g e from the annular groovea, as will be readily understood.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the type-cylinder A,carrying the type with which the letters are formed, may be adjustedabout its axis with respect to the disk D and locked at any one of thenotches a but that when placed in operative posi tion upon the machinethe said disk D must always occupy the same relation to the operativemechanism, and therefore the desired adjustment of the type-cylinder isreadily effected while the parts are detached from the machine or, ifdesired, without detaching the type-cylinder from the machine.

In Figs. 9 to 12 I have shown a modified construction of type-cylinderand adjustable disk, which may be used as a substitute for the formshereinbefore described,it' preferred. In the cylinder shown in Fig. 10the hub A is cut oif shorter and the sleeve a is secured to the disk Dconcentric with the central opening d therethrough and is removable fromthe hub A, wherein it is held when in use, by means of the bifurcatedkey 0, which also secures the cylinder upon the spindle B, ashereinbefore described. The cylinder shown in Fig. 10 is also fittedwith a reinforcing-ring A provided with notches at its outer edge tocorrespond with the notches in the cylinder itself, which ring willserve to prevent the breaking of the edge of the frail cylinder fromconstant adjustment of the disk. The locking-catch d on the disk is inthis form held extended by means of a coilspring 01 as a substitute forthe bent spring shown in Fig. 6, and instead of the circular opening dfor the passage of the stem 13, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, a slot d maybe pro vided, as shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11. The operation ofadjusting the disk in this modified form is precisely the same as withthe form shown in Figs. 1 to 6, and need not be further described.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that many variations might be madein the details of the cylinder and disk without departing from thespirit of my invention.

In writing cipher the type-cylinder may be set to any possible desiredadjustment and the operator strikes the keys representing the lettersand figures which he would desire to make were be writing ordinaryEnglish; but inasmuch as the typewill strike letters corresponding tothe letters struck on the keyboard in but one adjustment of thetype-cylinder the combinations of letters printed will be unintelligiblewhen the typecylinder is set to any other than that one properadjustment, and the result is a cipher message. According to myinvention the letters or combinations of letters of the cipher messagehave in themselves no significance or special meaning, which permits oftheir beingtransposed by reference to a fixed printed table or index,and this transposition is effected by purely-mechanical means,ashereinafter described. Then the original cipher message is written, theoperator strikes the cipher-key letter before adjusting the cylinder forcipher writing, and this cipher-key letter, which is simply the letteron the cylinder which is adjusted to the position ordinarily occupied bysome other letter, is to serve as a guide to the person transposing thecipher message into clear English. Thus for ordinary writing each letteron the cylinder occupies a fixed relation to the operating mechanism,and the cylinder is set by the letter which is most conveniently inview. For

instance, the letter J is used for setting the cylinder for ordinarywriting, and when it is desired to write a message in cipher some otherletterfor instance, Y or M or Sis adjusted to the position ordinarilyoccupied by the letter J and the cylinder is replaced upon the machinewith the chosen letter, whatever it may be, which I call the cipher-keyletter, taking the place of the letter J and the other type-lettersoccupying correspondingly different positions with respect to theirnormal positions. It will therefore be obvious that the ordinarymanipulation of the keyboard will produce unintelligible combinations ofletters and characters, each of which, written by one predeterminedadjustment of the type-cylinder, bears the same relation to the letterof'the key struck in forming it as the cipher-key letter bears to theletter by which the cylinder is set for intelligible writing fromintelligible copy, and will be found to occupy positions upon thetype-cylinder bearing such relations.

In order to transpose, by the operation of a machine carrying a cylinderconstructed according to my invention, the unintelligible combinationsof letters into intelligible words when the letters of suchunintelligible combinations are struck on the keyboard, thetype-cylinder used for this purpose must therefore be set to anadjustment bearing an inverse relation to the adjustment forintelligible writing, the same as the adjustment at which the cylinderwas set in producing the unintelligible combinations of letters, or, inother words, the cylinder must be turned and set-as many letters orspaces to the opposite side of the ordinary-key letter for intelligiblewriting as it was set to one side of such ordinary-key letter forproducing the unintelligible combinations of letters. The cipher-keyletter or character being given, as hereinbefore stated, thetransposing-key letter or character may be determined by counting thenumber of letters or characters from the ordinary-key letter orcharacter in the shorter direction to this known cipher key letter orcharacter and with this knowledge as a guide count an equal number ofletters or characters in the opposite direction from the ordinary-keyletter, and such number as corresponds will be the propertransposing-key letter or character.

For convenience in determining the proper letter or character by whichto set the type cylinder in transposing the unintelligible message Iprovide a mechanical device consisting of two superimposed disks, alarger disk F and a smaller disk F, arranged concentrically with respectto each other and held togetherby a central headed screw f, providedwith a milled nutf, as seen in Figs. 7 and 8, and upon each of thesedisks is displayed an arrangement of letters and characterscorresponding to the arrangement of similar letters and characters uponthe type-cylinder. The person writing the cipher message originally mayselect any letter or character as the cipher-key letter or character andmay set the cylinder by that letter or character,

and he may write the whole message by such adjustment or he may readjustthe cylinder to other cipher-key letters orcharacters as oftenthroughout the message as he sees fit. The cipher-key letter orcharacter may be printed immediately preceding each separate adjustmentor in any other predetermined relative position, and also by apredetermined signalsuch as a printed character, a sounding device uponthe machine, or an attachment upon one of the keys of the keyboard orother suitable contrivance warning should be given to the operator whenthe cipher-key letter is about to change, inasmuch as a readjustment ofthe cylinder in transposing is required every time the cipher key letterchanges.

In determining the transposing-key letter by means of the mechanicaldevice shown in' Figs. 7 and 8 the disks are turned with respect to eachother until the ordinary-key. letter by which the cylinder is set forintelligible writingfor instance, J on one disk falls opposite thecipher-key letter or character on the other disk. The disks being thenclamped together by means of the screw and nut, the transposing-keyletter or character will be found on the first disk opposite theordinary-key letter J on the other disk,and the cylinder when set bythis transposing-key letter or character will write intelligible wordsforming the original message when the key board of the machine ismanipulated according to the letters of the cipher message.

Many modifications in the means for adj usting and securing thetype-cylinder might be made which could be used without departing fromthe spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not wish to be understoodas limiting myself to the precise arrangement and constructionhereinbefore described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a type-writing machine, the combina tion with a hollow cylinder,and a disk fitting said cylinder and having its axis common therewith,the said disk and. cylinder being adjustable about their common axiswith respect to each other, and the said cylinder having a continuousannular groove therein; of a spring-catch connected to said disk andadapted to engage said groove in the cylinder and hold said disk andcylinder together in rotative relation, and means for locking said diskand cylinder at any predetermined adj ustment, against rotation withrespect to each other, substantially as described.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a type-cylinder, of adisk fitting one end of said cylinder; said disk and said cylinder beingeach centrally apertured; an axial sleeve attached to the one memberconcentric with the opening therethrough, fitting the opening of theother member, and centering the two members upon each other in rotativerelation with respect to each other; means for holding the two memberstogether in rotative relation, and means for lockin g said membersagainst rotation with respect to each other, substantially as described.

3. In a typeriting machine, the combina tion with a type-cylinder, of adisk fitting one end of said cylinder; said disk and said cylinder beingeach centrally and axially apertured; an annular flange on said diskfitting closely Within said cylinder in rotative relation therewith;means for holding the said disk and cylinder together in rotativerelation; and means for locking said disk and cylinder at anypredetermined adjustment, against rotation with respect to each other,substantially as described.

l. In a type-Writin g machine, the combination of a non-rotative shaft;a type-cylinder which is mounted upon said shaft and movable therewith;a disk fitting one end of said cylinder over said shaft; means forlocking said cylinder and disk upon said shaft to allow of rotationthereon; said disk and cylin der being capable of rotation with respectto each other about a common axis; and means for locking said cylinderand disk against rotation with respect to each other, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.v

WILLIAM A. FRERET, JR. Vitnessesz' V JAMES J. McLoncnnm; HARRY S. Lewis.

